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<title>MerMay Day 8 - Heroism by Toastie_Pan</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24117877">MerMay Day 8 - Heroism</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toastie_Pan/pseuds/Toastie_Pan'>Toastie_Pan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>MerMay2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Meetings, Gen, awkward moments, little Ignis tries hard okay?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:07:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>922</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24117877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toastie_Pan/pseuds/Toastie_Pan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Heroism comes in many forms. Nyx and Libertus help a very young Ignis realise that.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>MerMay2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>MerMay Day 8 - Heroism</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ignis held back, his tail having not even grown fully into its auxillary fins yet, trembling as he floated outside of the marble doors that separated him from the council chamber beyond.<br/></p>
<p>It was his first meeting. He had his binder, heavy in his arms as he tried to inhale steadily and calm the thudding of his heart.<br/></p>
<p>He was terrified. With no parents and an estranged Uncle with an elevated position by the King’s side, he felt their expectations weigh his shoulders down. And feared what should happen if he failed.<br/></p>
<p>Hesitating for so long however, caught the notice of the guards and eventually they turned to each other.<br/></p>
<p>The one nodded towards the kid, eyebrows raised.<br/></p>
<p>
  <i>‘talk to the kid!’</i>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <i>‘No way! You do it!</i>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <i>‘You’re the hero!’</i>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <i>‘Oh f**k you’</i>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <i>‘Go!’</i>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>A rolling of his eyes before the other Mer pushed away from his post, his purple hued auxillary fin floating quietly by his light blue tail, his other lost in battle long ago.<br/></p>
<p>‘Hey kid, you good?’<br/></p>
<p>
The podling flinched hard, snatching his binder out from in front of him where he had lost his grip before turning to the guard.<br/></p>
<p>‘I need no help, Kingsglaive and neither am I a kid.’ The young’n retorted.<br/></p>
<p>The Mer, Nyx snorted, bubbles bouncing out of his gills. The other, Libertus chuckling at the pidling’s answer.<br/></p>
<p>‘Got a live one, Nyx.’ He laughed.<br/></p>
<p>‘Proper Insomnian.’ He replied. Ignis’ cheeks turned red at the exchange.<br/></p>
<p>‘Guard’s aren’t supposed to speak to members of the council!’ Ignis retorted, internally horrified at the petulance in his voice.<br/></p>
<p>Nyx pulled himself down to the kid’s level, keeping a soft smirk on his face as he appraised the young Mer.<br/></p>
<p>‘You headin’ inside?’ he asked, carefully.<br/></p>
<p>The podling nodded, clutching his binder closer.<br/></p>
<p>‘I-I’m a member of the King’s Council a-and I will take notes for His Highness. I’m ready. Ready to…to be…I…’<br/></p>
<p>Nyx frowned seeing the kid falter, turning to his companion who sighed like the world was on his shoulders before swimming forward aswell.<br/></p>
<p>‘Hey, whats yer name?’ he asked.<br/></p>
<p>‘I-Ignis, my name is Ignis.’ He answered, straightening up and pushing up his sand ground spectacles.<br/></p>
<p>‘Well, Ignis it’s nice to meet you, I’m Libertus and he’s Nyx and we’ll be guarding ya today okay?’<br/></p>
<p>Ignis nodded carefully.<br/></p>
<p>‘Yes, you are of the Glaive, you are governed by the King to protect the country from threats within…a-and outside the Crown City.’<br/></p>
<p>Libertus’ eyebrows rose as he considered the podling before him, his own tail a deep golden colour that was tinged with black and red swishing behind him.<br/></p>
<p>‘You got smarts about you kid. Know a lot about folks and their position huh?’ he answered, Ignis latching on and nodding.<br/></p>
<p>‘Yeah- I mean yes, I studied all the Mers of Insomnia and beyond, though…I haven’t quite finished the outer counties yet.’<br/></p>
<p>‘You know where I’m from?’ Nyx smiled finally getting the drift of the conversation, much to Libertus’ relief.<br/></p>
<p>‘Y-your colouring and braiding imply you are of Galahd of which many of the Kingsglaive herald from.’ Ignis answered, his enthusiasm growing with every answer.<br/></p>
<p>‘That’s right. But we are not all from Galahd are we?’ Libertus asked, Ignis turning to him.<br/></p>
<p>‘No,’ Ignis answered, his eyes shining, ‘others are from the outer regions under Lucian rule such as Cavaugh, like your Commander Titus Drautos!’<br/></p>
<p>‘Well done!’ Nyx replied, smiling as Ignis’ fear hesitance bled away.<br/></p>
<p>‘You think you got the guts to head in there, where you’re supposed to be, advisor?’ Libertus asked, his demeanour dropping at the physical recoil that swept through the kid.<br/></p>
<p>‘Hey, y-your Nyx Ulric right?’ Ignis asked, his eyes not moving from the doors. Libertus looked at Nyx who suddenly became very damn guarded at the question.<br/></p>
<p>‘I am.’ He answered.<br/></p>
<p>‘Mer across Insomnia name you Hero yes?’<br/></p>
<p>More silence.<br/></p>
<p>Nyx looked as Libertus. He simply nodded.<br/></p>
<p>‘Yeah Ignis. I am.’<br/></p>
<p>‘How did you conquer fear?’<br/></p>
<p>Nyx sighed, swimming between the doors and Ignis, forcing the podlings sight to him as he gripped his shoulders.<br/></p>
<p>‘I didn’t.’ he answered simply. ‘No soldier goes into battle without fear. A fool does and a very soon dead fool at that. Fear keeps us sharp if we use it well but it consumes us if we allow it to blind us.’<br/></p>
<p>‘How do I know?’<br/></p>
<p>Nyx smiled, sighing as he watched the answer sink into those green eyes.<br/></p>
<p>‘You learn, just how you learned all those things in that binder. You learn. Don’t think about how you can beat fear, think about how you can utilize it. Know it’s there, accept it and then push forward. Think of what you’re scared of, consider every option and then defeat it, but knowing the exact plan you need.’<br/></p>
<p>Ignis looked over Nyx’s shoulder to the doors.<br/></p>
<p>‘Yes. Yes I am an advisor, my strength is considering every path.’<br/></p>
<p>‘You got it kid.’ Libertus said from his post, causing Ignis to turn.<br/></p>
<p>‘The name is Ignis, Libertus of the Kingsglaive.’ He stated, pushing his glasses up. ‘And I am late for my meeting.’<br/></p>
<p>Pushing Nyx away by pressing his small hand against the Mer’s shoulder Ignis pushed forward, opening the door and closing it behind him, the King’s voice spilling out to the corridor.<br/></p>
<p>‘Ahh, Ignis how nice to see you.’<br/></p>
<p>The smile in his tone was evident even as Nyx returned to his post.<br/></p>
<p>‘Not bad going, hero.’ Libertus sniffed.<br/></p>
<p>Nyx laughed in response.<br/></p>
<p>‘Heroism comes in many forms.’</p>
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